Core structures for driving and retapping shell type piles



Aug- 22, 1961 w. H. RlcE ET AL 2,996,887

CORE STRUCTURES FOR DRIVING AND RETAPPING SHELL TYPE PILES Aug' 22, 1961w. H. RlcE E1' AL 2,996,887

CORE STRUCTURES FOR DRIVING AND RETAPPING SHELL TYPE PILES 725INVENTORS.

T/V/L 1. ,q/PDH E/CE.

BY E'D WAfPajM/TH.

2396387 CORE STRUCTURES FR DRIVING AND 'RE- TAPPING SHELL TYPE PILESWillard H. Rice, Berkeley Heights, and `Edward A. Smith, Cliatham, NJ.,assignors to [Raymond international, Inc., New York, N.Y,, a corporationof New Jersey 'Filed Nov. 7, '1958, Ser. No. '772,515 S Claims. ((Cl.61-5337) This invention pertans to improvements in core structuresutilized for driving piles of the steel shell type, and more especiallyto such as are assembled in use from various components which arethereafter dis-assembled for shipment.

When the driving piles of the type aforesaid, utilizing a core tosupport and carry the shell during the driving, the cores heretoforeutilized have consisted of heavy steel members joined by various means,such as by the use of screw-threaded male and female joints, or bysocket and tenon joints that are locked together by key pieces or pinsto secure the joint. The object of such constructions is to permit ofassembling shipable lengths in various sizes of cores to make up anassembly of various sizes and/or lengths to suit various pile drivingconditions.

The present means of joining these Sections together have proved costlyand ineffective, because the driving impact is so great that in the caseof the socket and tenon joint connections, the pins elongate and thetenons become loose in their sockets, and, in the case of thescrew-threaded connections, the threads deform, and once any looseness,however slight, thus develops, the wear is accelerated. This results inan expensive reconditioning with loss of time on the job and evendefective work, because looseness in the joints often results in thepile shell being driven out of Vertical alignment, even to the extentthat rejection may be required. 'The present invention in one of itsaspects overcomes these defects and disadvantages inherent in thepresent types of cores for driving piles of the steel shell type. t

Another problem which has confronted the industry with respect to drivenpiles of the steel shell type, arises when a previously driven piledefiects out of Vertical alignment due to soil shifting and/or when Soilpressures cause prevously driven shells to uplift and thus lose theirbearing value. In such cases, it is necessary to re-enter the shell andre-drive or re-tap the pile to its proper original bearing value. Insuch instances it is often diflicult or impossible to re-enter the shellbecause of local deformations or lack of Vertical alignment.

At the present time, such piles must be re-driven by means of a flexibledriving core that is constructed of Sections of steel tubing connectedby ball and socket joints utilizing connecting pins to integrate theassembly. Durng driving, however, these pins pound out rather easily.Also any pin may break and cause the core to fall apart to the hazard ofthe workmen in the area and also causing considerable amount of losttime. The present invention in another of its aspects provides aflexible type of driving core that cannot fall apart and which isotherwise vastly Superior to existing constructions.

In its basic concept, the present invention provides an assemblable anddis-assemblable core structure comprising in its essentials, a corehead, a plurality of tubular core Sections and a core tip, having meansfor joining said sections end to end between the core head and tip, thismeans including a cable extending within the core Sections between thecore head and tip and secured at its opposite ends to the core head andtip, respectively, in such manner that the cable is highly ten- 'icesioned or pre-stressed, whereby the cable maintains the variouscomponents aforesaid in compressive assembly.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention for drivingshell type piles, the core Sections are provided at their opposite endsvvith complementary socket and tenon terminations for joining, and thecore head including an adapter section and the core tip are similarlyjoined to the assembled core Sections. The cable referred to hasanchoring lugs swaged to its opposite ends, which preferably take theform of threaded fittings, one end of which threads into a tapped boreof the core anchor tip while the opposite fitting extends through anaxial bore of the core head and is secured thereto by a nut threadedonto the fitting and seating on the upper face of the core head. Thepre-stressing of the cable is elfected by means of a hydraulic jacktemporarily mounted in the core head, and when the necessary tension hasthus been established in the cable, i

the nut referred to is screwed into tight seating engagement with thecore head, and the hydraulic jack assembly removed.

In accordance with the preferred flexible core embodiment of theinvention, the core structure comprises a series of steel sleeves andinterposed driving balls which latter are seated in socket adaptersdisposed on each side thereof `which in turn are fitted to the adjacentcore sleeves by means of socket and tenon joints, this assemblage beinginterposed between a core tip at the base and a top core adapter andassociated cable seat block at the top. This assemblage is held togetherby a pre-stressed cable which is auchored at its lower end to the coretip in any suitable manner, as by means of a swaged or anchoring lug,and which is secured at its upper end to the cable seat block by meansof a swaged or threaded anchoring lug which eXtends through an axialbore of the cable seat block and is secured thereto by a nut threadedthereon and engaging the upper surface of the cable seat block.Pre-stressing of the cable is effected in the same manner as abovedescribed, with reference to the first mentioned embodiment of theinvention.

Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference Will nowbe had to the accompanying drawings for a more detailed description,wherein:

FIGURES 1 to 7, inc., illustrate the embodiment of the invention 'firstdescribed, comprising the relatively rigid core structure assembly fordriving piles of the steel shell type; FIG. 1 being a view in elevationof the assembled core structure; FIG. 2 an exploded view of the FIG. 1assembly; FIG. 3 a transverse section taken at 3-3 of FIG. 1; and FIGS.4-7, inc., being an enlarged axial sectional elevation of the FIG. 1tube assembly. FIGURE 8 is a view in elevation and partly in section ofthe hydraulic ram assembly for prestressing the cable.

FIGURES 9 to 13, inc., illustrate the fiexible core modification of theinvention above mentioned for reseating previously driven defleoted oruplifted shell type piles; FIG. 9 being a view in axial sectionalelevation through a driven pile with the flexible core inserted thereinfor re-seating; FIG. 10 a view in elevation of the assembled corestructure itself; FIGS. 11 and 12 enlarged views in axial sectionshowing the essenti'al components of the FIG. 10 core assembly; FIG. 13a transverse section through one of the drving ball assemblies as takenat 13-413 of FIG. 12; and FIG. 14 a fragmentary perspective view of aportion of the FIG. 10 assembly illustrating the action of the liftingstops associated with the driving balls, ras the 'core structure isbeing withdrawn 'from the Shell of FIG. 9.

Referring to the FIGS. 1-7, inc., embodiment, a core head 10, isassembled in a socket and tenon joint 11 onto an adapter section 12,comprising an upper section 12a sleeved into a lower section 12b andwelded thereto at 120. The adapter section 12 is in turn assembled in asocket and tenon joint 13 onto a tubular core section 14. Locking pinsare insertedV as at 13a, in aligned bores of the socket and tenonmembers of joint l13, these pins being held in place by keeper lwashers,as at 13h, to prevent relative rotation of the adapter and core Sections12, 14. Core section 14 has a socket member 14a sleeved into its lowerend and welded thereto at 14b. Core section 14 is in turn assembled inla socket and tenon joint 15 onto a second tubular core section 16,having a tenon member '16a sleeved into its upper end and welded theretoat 16h for connecting with the socket member 14a of core section 14. Thecore Sections 14, 16 are held against relative rotation by locking pins,as at 16a, inserted in aligned bores of the socket and tenon components14a, 16a, these pins being secured by keeper washers as at 16d.

Core section 16 terminates at its lower end in a socket sleeve 168 forpro-viding a socket and tenon connection 17 to a core tip=18, to whichend the core tip has sleeved into its upper end a tenon member 18awelded thereto at 18h. To assure a tight fit, the joint 17 issupplemented by a liner sleeve '180. To prevent relative rotationbetween core Sections 16 and core tip 18, locking pins are inserted, 'asat 18d, 188, in aligned bores of the socket and tenon members 16a, 18a,these pins being secured by keeper washers, as at l. A core anchor tip19 of the configuration shown in FIG. 7, is inserted in a complementaryrecess 20 formed in the base of 'the core tip 18.

In order to hold the FIGS. 4-7, inc., assembly tightly together, a cable26 extends within the tubular core adapter, core and core tip Sections12-18, inc., between the core anchor tip 19 and the core head 10, beingSecured thereto, respectively, as follows. At its opposite ends thecable 26 has swaged thereto tanchoring lugs 27, 28, the ends of whichare externally threaded as at 29, 30, respectively. The threaded end 29of 'the lower lug 27 is screwed into a threaded bore 31 of the coreanchor tip *19. The upper anchoring lug 28 extends through an axial bore32 of the core head with its threaded end 30 projecting -therethrough asshown, and having a lock nut 33 threaded thereon, which seats on theupper face 34 of the core head as shown. To prevent the threadedconnection 29, 31 between the lower anchoring lug 27 and the core anchortip 19 from slipping or loosening, a locking pin 35 extends throughtransverse bores of components 19, 27 as shown. At the upper end of thecable 26, a locking pin 36 of bifurcated or clawlike configuration isdriven through aligned transverse bores, as at 37, of the core head 10and adapter section 12 components, the legs of this locking pin spanningthe fiattened faces 38, 39 of the anchoring lug 28. This preventsrelative rotation between the core head and adapter sections 10, 12.

The locking nut 33 threaded onto the .threaded projecting end 30 of theanchoring lug `holds the assembly in the final pre-stressed condition ofthe cable 26 which is obtained with the apparatus shown in PIG. 8 and inthe following manner. In order to pre-Stress the cable 26, a hydraulicjack 40 is mounted on a jack pedestal 41 supported on the core head asshown. The projecting upper threaded end 30 of the upper anchoring lug28 has threaded thereon a coupling 42, into which is screwed an adapterscrew 43. The adapter screw 43 extends through the jack 40, and isprovided on its upper projecting end with a thrust washer 44, and a nut45, the later threaded thereon thus to hold the assembly together. Alsothe hydraulic jackv 40 acts against this washer 44 and nut 45 during thetensioning operation.

Tensioning is accomplished by applying hydraulic pressure to the jackthrough inlet 46, by conventional hand pumping means until the pressuregauge shows the proper amount of cable tension. The lock nut 33 is 'thentightened against the core head 10, after which pressure of thehydraulic jack is released. Then the lock nut '45 and 'l washer 44 -areremoved, following which the hydraulic jack and jack pedestal 40, 41 arelifted off. The adapter screw 43 and coupling 42 are unscrewed, thusrestoring the assembly to 'the condition shown in FIG. 4. The coreassembly of FIGS. l and 4-7, inc., is thus made ready for use, the cable26 being now tensioned or pre-stressed, maintains the entire corestructure in compressive assembly. With the cable thus tensioned, thelocking pins, as as 36, 13a, 116c, 1811, hold the various corecomponents against relative rotation as above described, thereby also toprevent relative rotation of the cable extremities, thus to prevent lossof tension due to loosening of the cable.

For utilizing the thus assembled and pre-stressed core assembly fordriving the shell type piles, a driving head 50 is imposed on the corehead 10 and the core form inserted in a Shell type pile 51 of steppedtaper configuration corresponding to that of the core structure as at52, 53, at which points, driving rings, as at 54, 55, are interposed inthe shell assembly, the inner inclined faces of which are engaged by thestepped Shoulders on the core structures, as at 56, 57, for concurrentlyapplying driving force between the core structure and the shell 51 atthe successive Stepped-in elevations thereof, the core also applyingdriving force to the base of the shell, by coaction between the coreanchor tip 19 resting on the boot 58 on which the shell pile 51 ispre-assembled.

The advantages of the core construction above discussed are ease andsimplicity of assembly, comprising standard and interchangeable partswhich can be combined in any way to suit variable job requirements. Alsoease of maintenance of components and quick field replacement and/orrepair. Also the pre-tensioned assembly is sufficiently strong to assurethat the components will remain tight at all times, thereby minmizingwear and repair of core joints. Also there is the added factor of Safetyin case of breakage of core sleeves which nevertheless remain togetherbecause of the cable.

Referring now to FIGS. 8-14, inc., the flexible retapping coreembodiment of the invention thereof, comprises a top core head adapter60, into which is fitted the upper end of a cable seat block 61, bymeans of the socket and tenon connection 62 shown. The core head adapter60 and the cable seat block 61 are fastened together by means of lockingpins 63 extending through transverse bores of these components as shown,the locking pins in turn being held in position by means of set screws64. A steel sleeve 65 is sleeved onto the lower projecting end of thecable seat block 61, as at 66, and held against relative rotation bylocking pins inserted in algned bores of these components, as at 66a,the pins being secured by keeper washers, as at 66h.

At is lower end the sleeve 65 is connected by a socket and tenon joint67 to an upper socket adapter 68, these components also being heldagainst relative rotation by locking pins, as at 68a, secured by keeperwashers, as at 681), in the manner above described. Between the socketadapter 68 and a corresponding lower socket adapter 69 there isinterposed a driving ball 70, of Spherical Shape as shown. The drivingball is equipped with replaceable driving lugs, as at 72. Mounted on thesocket adapters 68 and 69, are canted guide and lifting stops, as at72a, 72b, which facilitate entry and withdrawal of the core structurewith respect to a driven shell to be re-set.

The lower socket adapter 69 is in turn connected by a socket and tenonjoint 73 to the upper end of a steel sleeve 74 like sleeve 65, thesecomponents likewise being held against relative rotation by lockingpins, as at 74a, secured by keeper washers, as at 741), in the mannerabove described. The assembly is continued in like fashion as shown inFIG. 10, successively through ball and socket joint 75, sleeve 76,socket joint 77, sleeve 78, socket joint 79, sleeve 80, socket joint 81,sleeve 82, socket joint 83, and sleeve '84, which latter is fitted by aSocket and tenon joint 85, to the core tip 86 at the base of theassembly, these components likewise being held against relative rotationby looking pins, as at 85a, Secured by 'keeper washers, as at 85b.

A Steel cable 90 is threaded through the various components of theassembly passing up the interior of the Steel sleeves Such as 84, '82,'801, etc., as shown, and through axial bores of the socket and tenonjoints such as 83, 81, 79, etc., as at 87. The lower end of the cable isforged to a bottom anchor 91, fitted by its taper Shape 92 to acorrespondingly tapered bore in the core tip 86. To secure the anchor 91to the core tip 86, locking screws 93 are threaded thereinto and througha bottom closure cap 94, the latter to prevent damage to the lower cableanchor.

Forged to the upper end of the cable 90, is a top anchor Screw 95,disposed in an aXial bore 96 of the core head adapter 61, anchor screw95 having threaded thereon a lock nut 97 which seats on the upper faceof the cable seat block '61, whereby the cable holds the entire assemblytogether. Pre-stressing of the cable 90 is elfected in the same mannerabove described with reference to FIG. 8. For this operation, the corehead adapter 60 is removed by removal of the set screws 64 and lookingpins 63, and the hydraulc jack assembly of FIG. 8 mounted atop the cableSeat block 61 and the pre-stressing effected as in FIG. 8 whereupon thelock nut 97 is screwed into engagement with the upper face of the cableseat block, the hydraulic jack equipment removed and the core headadapter 60 replaced as shown in FIG. 11. The core structure is now readyfor use.

As thus assembled with the cable pre-Stressed, the core Structure is pinconnected at the top, as at 100', to a conventional core head 10'1 andpile driving hammer. The unit is then lowered into a previously drivenShell, as at 102, FIG. 9, and each joint slips sufficiently to alloweasy entry, by virtue of the guiding action of the lifting stops 72h.Since the Shell 102 is of Stepped taper configuration, the driving lugs72 of the successive driving balls are adjusted to engage the drivingrings, as at 103, FIG. 12, of the Shell 102 at their appropn'ate levels,So that all of the driving balls will concurrently apply driving forceto the successive Sections of the Shell in the manner illustrated inFIG. 12, in which the dotted lines Show the driving lug adjustment forengaging a higher level driving ring of the Shell. Upon Seating thebottom closure cap 86 on the boot 104 of the Shell assembly, the hammerdrives the pile until it reseats itself in the Soil to the proper loadbearing value after which the retapping core is easily withdrawn, bycoaction of the upper guide members 72a and lifting stops 72b in themanner illustrated in FIG. 14.

Because of this construction, applicant provides a readily assemblableand dS-assemblable tapping core for 'reentry of a previously driven corewhich has lost its bearing value due to having been deflected oruplifted. Such a pile may be redriven to its proper bearing value byintroducing a flexible core as described herein.

With both embodiments of the invention aforesaid, the pre-Stressed cableby holding all the components of the core structure in compressiveassembly, eliminates the necessity for connecting pins at the joints,with resulting disadvantages of the latter above pointed out. It is thusSeen that the core Structures of the present invention are decidedlySuperior to those heretofore employed both for driving Shell type pilesas well as for re-tapping and re-Seating previously driven piles of thistype.

What is claimed is:

1. A core structure for driving Shell type piles, comprising incombination: a core head, a plurality of t-ubular core Sections and acore tip, means joining Said Sections end-to-end between said core headand tip, said means including socket and tenon joints between adjacentcore Sections and 'between said core head and tip and the core Sectionsrespectively adjacent thereto, said joining means having longitudinalbores extending therethrough in aligned communication with the interiorsof Said tubular Sections, a cable extending Within said tubular coreSections and the bores of Said joining means between Said core head andtip, means Securing the oppo- Site ends of said cable to said core headand tip, respectively, whereby said cable may be placed under a pre-Selected tension to maintain said core head and tip and said coreSections therebetween in compressive assem'bly, and means cooperatingwith Said socket and tenon joints to prevent relative rotation of Saidcore head and tubular Sections.

2. A core Structure for driving step-tapered Shell-type piles providedwith driving rings, comprising in combination: a core head, a pluralityof tubular core Sections formed with driving Shoulders and a core tip,means joining Said Sections end-to-end 'between said core head and tip,Said means including socket and tenon joints between adjacent coreSections and lbetween Said core head and tip and the core Sectionsrespectively adjacent thereto, Said joining means having longitudinalbores extending therethrough in aligned communication with the interiorsof Said tubular Sections, 'a cable extending Within Said tubular coreSections and the bores of Said joining means between said core head andtip, means Securing the opposite ends of Said cable to' Said core headand tip, respectively, whereby said cable may 'be placed under apreselected tension to maintain said core head and tip and said coreSections therebetween in compressive assembly, and radially disposedpins cooperating With said Socket and tenon joints to prevent relativerotation of said core head and tubular Sections, Said driving Shouldersbeing adapted to engage cooperating Shoulders on the driving rings ofsaid Shells for transmitting driving forces thereto.

3. A core Structure for driving Shell type piles, comprising incombination: a core head, a plurality of tubular core Sections and acore tip, means joining Said Sections end-to-end 'between Said core headand tip, Said means including ball and Socket joints between said coreSections, bores eXtending through Said joining means and communicatingWith the interiors of Said tubular core Sections, a cable extendingwithin Said core Sections and bores between said core head and tip,means Securing the opposite ends of said cable to Said core head andtip, respectively, whereby said cable may be placed under a preselectedtension to maintain the assembly in compressive condition and drivingelements associated with Said balls for engaging and transferringdriving forces to Said Shell type piles.

4. A core structure for driving Step tapered Shell type piles,comprising in combination: a core head, a plurality of tubular coreSections and a core tip, means joining Said Sections end-to-end 'betweenSaid core head and tip, Said means including driving balls seated 'foruniversal movement in socket adapters interposed between Said coreSections, bores extending through Said balls and adapters andcommunicatng with the interiors of said tubular core Sections, a cableextending within Said core Sections and bores between Said core head andtip, means securing the opposite ends of Said cable to Said core headand tip, respectively, whereby Said cable may be placed under apreselected tension to maintain the assembly in compressive condition,and driving elements associated with Said balls for transferring drivingforces tov said Step tapered Shell type piles at the Steps therein.

5. A core Structure 'for driving Shell type piles, comprising incombination: a core head, a plurality of tubular core Sections and acore tip, means joining Said Sections end-to-end between Said core headand tip, Said means including driving balls Seated for universalmovement in Socket adapters interposed between Said core Sections, meanscooperating with said core sections and said adapters to preventrelative rotation therebetween, said balls and adapters having borestherethrough communicating with the interiors of said tubular coreSections, a cable extending Within said core Sections and bores betweensaid core head and tip, means securing the opposite ends of said cableto said core head and tip, respectively, 'Whereby said cable may beplaced under a preselected tension to maintain the assembly incompressive condition, and driving means associated with said drivingballs for transferring driving forces to said shell type piles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS PierceOct. 11, 1927 Watt Jan. 3, 1933 Earley Feb. 2, 1937 Kinneman July 14,1953 Zublin June 8, 1954 McCune July 5, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS France 1945Netherlands 1954

